Hope's Rebekah Llorens out for season

Friday

Jan 3, 2014 at 11:00 AM

Staff reports

The Hope College women's basketball opens the 2014 portion of its schedule this weekend, but will do so without Rebekah Llorens.Llorens, Hope's starting center, tore an anterior cruiciate ligament in her knee and will miss the remainder of the season.The junior averaged 13.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game — both second on the team. She was the MVP of Hope's Post-Exam Jam in December."We are considering rotating a number of people in the starting lineup," Hope coach Brian Morehouse said. "Everybody has to do their part. You don't replace people, you just have to find ways to contribute. Rebekah Llorens is one of the best players in the U.S. We have had this happen before."Hope faces Trine (Ind.) University in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association showdown at 3 p.m. Saturday in Angola, Ind.The Flying Dutch are 11-0 and ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division III.Maura McAfee leads Hope in scoring at 14.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Megan Kelley, fresh off her MVP performance in the D3 Classic in Florida, is at 11.1 points per game.Hannah Doell, a junior forward, could start after coming off the bench this year. She was a starter last season.Freshman Mandy Traversa, senior Kelsey Masserant, junior Emily Klauka and freshman Jordan Scholten could all see elevated playing time without Llorens."We could start any one of them or even guard Anna Kaufmann if we want to go really small," Morehouse said.Meanwhile, the Hope men play Edgewood.FLYING DUTCHMENOPPONENT >> Edgewood (Wis.) CollegeTIPOFF >> 7 p.m. SaturdayWHERE >> DeVos FieldhouseRECORDS >> Hope — 5-5, Edgewood — 6-5HOPE VIEW >> The Flying Dutchmen are at .500 for the first time this season. Hope beat Thomas More (Ky.) 83-80 on New Years Eve on a game-winning jumper by point guard Ben Gardner. That was his second game-winning score of the season. Gardner leads the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game. He also tallies 3.6 assists per game. The Flying Dutchmen will look to get forwards Nate VanArendonk and Brock Benson more involved against the Edgewood frontcourt.OPPOSING VIEW >> The Eagles, despite their winning record, are being outscored this season 793-752. Edgewood has three players scoring in double figures: Juniors Dylan Rusch (10) and Joe Klocek (10.7) and senior Justin Williams (10.8). The Eagles are turnover prone, averaging 13.4 per game.TICKETS >> Single-day tickets for the Hope High School Holiday Shootout are $7 for adults and $5 for students/children. For both days, tickets are $10.RADIO >> WYVN-FM 92.7INTERNET >> http://927thevan.com/listen-live/

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